Homemade Christmas - Paper Gift box

Here is an easy, quick, and cute paper gift box that you can make! I like to make them for little things like gift cards, candy, jewelry, or any other little things that you need to wrap.

All you need is:

2 paper squares (One about 1/4" smaller than the other)
Scissors
Tape (optional)

I thought about doing a picture tutorial but it is some times hard to see the folds so I made a video for you all! This box take less than 10 minutes to make (The video is 9 min... and that is with me showing you!) The video is not perfect (my phone rings half way through) but does a pretty good job of showing you how to make it, so here it is! I hope you enjoy!

Homemade Christmas Gift Idea - Car Roll

We are having a homemade Christmas at my house this year! It has been fun and challenging to make cute things for my son. There are TONS of girly toys tutorials out there to make but boy toys tutorials are few and far between. I hope to add one!

A Car Roll - it is the same idea as a crayon roll but for toy cars. (**Note** I have seen other car rolls out there... this is MY version!)

Here is what you will need:
3 - 13.5 X 7 inch rectangles of fabric. I used denim from a pair of old jeans, black flannel (for the road), and a car flannel
ribbon (yellow works great to be part of the road)
Sewing machine (with other sewing tools: scissors, thread, etc..)
Optional: Fusible fleece

1. Iron your fabric. Pick out which one you want to be the pocket, fold it in half and iron across the crease.

2.) Optional: I also ironed on the fusible Fleece to the top of the back side of the black flannel. This was to give the "road" a little more stability and cushion. In the end the denim is pretty sturdy so I don't know if this is totally necessary!

3.) Open your pocket and on the BACK side make vertical lines up to the crease at 3", 5.5", 8" and 10.5"

4.)Now we are going to set up our pocket: Place your pocket (folded back down) onto the TOP side of the black flannel.

Then, flip open the pocket and pin into place on the bottom half.

5. Sew on your vertical lines that you made, being sure to stop at the fold crease. Make sure to back stitch at the beginning and end of each line.

Here is what the back looks like:

6. Flip your pocket down and sew two line across the top of the black flannel to make a road. DO NOT sew on the pocket!!

a closer look:

7. Place your ribbon on your road. I used a measuring tape to make sure that it was straight across. Pin your ribbon in place.

8. Sew on your ribbon. I sew down each side.

Here is what it looks like now:

9. Cut off a piece of ribbon that is about 32' long and fold it in half. Pen it to where the yellow ribbon on your road is, with the length of the ribbon going onto the car roll. (This is going to be our tie)

10. Put the denim piece on top of the car roll (Right sides together)

Make sure that your tie ribbon is on the INSIDE... or it will come out backwards!

11. Sew around the outside edge of the car roll, making sure to leave a 3-4 inch opening to flip it right side out.

12. Flip the car roll right side out and iron on the creases of the seams. Top sew your opening closed and you are ALL DONE!

Put some cars in it and roll it up and tie it!

I think that my 22 month old son is going to LOVE it!

Homemade Christmas: Photo Ornaments

I made this cool ornament from old Christmas cards. I am one of those people that can't throw away a card because someone sent it to me. But I do not have problem repurposing it! I will show you how to make one and if you add a photo of your child or family it makes it even cuter! : )

Here is what you will need:
Christmas cards
Big chunky beads
Paper cuter
Double sided tape
Wallet size photo (I printed mine on paper)
Twine or Ribbon
an Exacto Knife (not pictured... I tried my hole punch but it would not reach)

1.) Cut your cards in to 3X3 inch squares and group them by color. You need 6 squares for each ornament.
2.) On the back side of each square find mark the midpoint on each side (at 1.5 inches)

3.) Score a diagonal line connecting your midpoints. Do this on each square.

4.) Fold on your score lines. You should have 6 squares that look like this:

5.) Choose two squares to be your top and bottom. Find the middle (I drew lines to find mine) and use your Exacto Knife to cut a whole in the center.

6.) Use your double sided tape to connect your 2 of the corners of 2 of your squares

This is what the back should look like

and this is what the front should look like:

7.) Continue connecting until you have 4 of your squares together that make a "tube".

8.) Choose the bottom and sting your twine or ribbon through the hole and attach onto the bottom of your "tube"

9.) Pull your twine up through your tube and through your top piece. Connect your top piece to the rest of the ornament.

10.) Tie a loop on the top.

11.) And tie a bead onto the bottom.

12.) cut out your photos (about 2X2 inch square) and attach it to on of the sides.

SUPER CUTE!!!

Here is the blue one with a ribbon instead of twine.

I entered in a tutorial contest over at See Mommy Sew.

I entered my leg warmers, Monogram plate and Wine gift bag from my Fireflies and Jellybeans blog. So far, the leg warmers has the most votes (for me) so that is my best chance to win.

PLEASE vote for me... please please pretty please! Please support this Motley Mom! It would really mean a lot to me!

See all the tutorials HERE and vote Here

Homemade Christmas- Monogram plate gift

Here is one of the hostess gifts I made this year!

Monogram Fabric-backed Plates:

Here is what you will need:
a clear glass plate
fabric (enough to cover you plate)
Scrapbook paper (enough for your monogram)
Xacto Knife
Scissors
Mod Podge and bush

1.) Make your monogram. I free handed my "N" but you could print a letter off of your computer on the back of your paper using the Mirror Image Printing option. I also traced around the bottom of my plate to know how big to make the letter. 2.) Cut out your letter using an Xacto Knife.

Optional: I distressed my letter with some brown ink. 3.) Cut a piece fabric in a square that is about an inch bigger on each of the sides of the plate. (I know the plate is hard to see but it is clear) 4.) Place your plate on a cup with the bottom facing up. I found it was easier to work with this way!

5.) Brush on a coat of Mod Podge. on the inner circle only for now.



6.) Place your monogram upside down on the Mod Podge.

7.) Brush on Mod Podge over your monogram. Make sure the keep the monogram flat and to press out any bubbles. Now- let dry (Have a sandwhich or something)

8.) When it is dry, bush on more mod Podge all over the whole plate... Be generous with it

9.) Place the fabric over your plate and flatten out any bubbles.

10.) Brush on more Mod Podge all over the top of the fabric. Let dry... this can take a while so just put it off to the side. Or, you can do what I did and check on it every 10 minutes or so... is it done yet?- nope... is it done yet?- nope....

11.) When it is FINALLY dry cut off the extra fabric by cutting around the plate as close as you can. If you are worried about the edges frying you can brush a little more Mod Podge around the edge.

12.) Flip it over! Very Cool!
Wouldn't this be so great as a hostess gift? You can bring it with cookies, bars, or other sweets on top of it and they get to keep the plate!

I also think that it could make a very cool Grandparent gift if you print a picture of your kids or family and put it in the place of the monogram.